Various construction, mining or farming machines, such as wheel loaders, excavators, dozers, motor graders, wheel tractor scrapers, and other off-highway work machines employ implements or other work tool attachments designed to perform different tasks within the given worksite. Moreover, work machines and the associated implements are typically operated or controlled manually by an operator to perform the desired task. Common tasks involve moving or adjusting a position of the attached implement to interact with some target object within the worksite. For instance, a bucket implement may be controlled to cut and carry materials or other loads from one area of a worksite to another, while a fork implement may be controlled to lift and transport pallets or other comparable loads. Such manual operation may be adequate under many circumstances. However, the limited view of the implement and target objects from the operator cab poses a problem that has yet to be fully resolved.
One conventional solution to a related problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,139,977 (“McCain”). McCain is directed to a system for determining the orientation of a machine implement which employs a camera mounted on the machine to visually track a marker positioned directly on the implement. The marker is arranged on the implement in a manner which enables the camera and the monitoring system to determine the orientation of the implement relative to the machine. Although McCain may somewhat aid the operator in determining the position of the implement, McCain does not track, identify or otherwise assist the operator with respect to a target object with which the implement must interact. For instance, the system in McCain would not be helpful in situations where a target object or load is not clearly visible by the operator from the operator cab of the work machine.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages associated with conventional techniques for controlling or operating machine implements, a need exists for a solution which is not only capable of effectively tracking a position or orientation of the implement, but also capable of tracking a position of a target object with which the implement should interact. In particular, there is a need for a monitoring system that can track the implement position relative to interactive target objects, and use that information to help align the implement to the target object via autonomous, semi-autonomous, or manual controls. There is also a need to implement such a system onto a work machine in a simplified and non-intrusive manner. It should be appreciated that the solution of any particular problem is not a limitation on the scope of this disclosure or of the attached claims except to the extent expressly noted.